iPhone 5

The iPhone 5 is a touchscreen smartphone developed by Apple Inc. It is the sixth generation of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 4S and preceding the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. Formally unveiled as part of a press event on September 12, 2012, it was released on September 21, 2012. The iPhone 5 featured major design changes in comparison to its predecessor. These included an aluminum-based body which was thinner and lighter than previous models, a taller screen with a nearly 16:9 aspect ratio, the Apple A6 system-on-chip, LTE support, and Lightning, a new compact dock connector which replaces the 30-pin design used by previous iPhone models. This is the second Apple phone to include its new Sony made 8MP Camera. The predecessor of the iPhone 5 (iPhone 4S) was the first to include the new Sony cameras. Apple began taking pre-orders on September 14, 2012, and over two million were received within 24 hours. Initial demand for the iPhone 5 exceeded the supply available at launch on September 21, 2012, and has been described by Apple as “extraordinary”, with pre-orders having sold twenty times faster than its predecessors. While reception to the iPhone 5 has been generally positive, consumers and reviewers noted hardware issues, such as an unintended purple hue in photos taken, and the phone’s coating being prone to chipping. Reception was also mixed over Apple’s decision to switch to a different dock connector design, as the change affected iPhone 5’s compatibility with accessories that were otherwise compatible with previous iterations of the line. The iPhone 5 was officially discontinued by Apple on September 10, 2013 with the announcement of its successor, iPhone 5S, and iPhone 5C, the latter being a lower-cost variation of the iPhone 5 with similar internal hardware and plastic casing. The introduction of the 5C deviated from Apple’s previous market strategy, where the previous iPhone model would remain in production, but sold at a lower price point below the new model. On April 28, 2014, Apple initiated an out of warranty recall program to replace any failing power buttons of iPhone 5 models which were manufactured prior to March 2013 at no cost. On August 23, 2014, Apple announced a program to replace batteries of iPhone 5 models that “may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently” which were sold between September 2012 and January 2013.

Richard Goodwin

Richard Goodwin has been working as a tech journalist for over 10 years. He has written for Den of Geek, Fortean Times, IT PRO, PC Pro, ALPHR, and many other technology sites. He is the editor and owner of KnowYourMobile.

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